Waite - Online business startup: the entrepreneurs guide to launching a fast, lean and profitable online venture

Praise

Robs book Online Business Startup is a refreshing read for any serious business owner. Rather than jumping right into tactics, he takes you by the hand and helps you explore what would actually benefit your business in a positive sense. Rob offers a great wealth of details so that business owners and entrepreneurs are empowered to make the right choices to gain visibility online. Highly recommended!

Alex Rodrguez, author of Digital BACON: Make Your Online Presence Irresistibly Attractive

Rob in this book demystifies starting an online business and his approach is simple yet detailed and effective. An easy read that will help you to grow your online business.

Darshana Ubl Businesswoman, Investor and Spokesperson for Small Business

Many new business owners get excited about starting their business, but fall into the trap of running before they can walk and set up a website without really understanding what their business is about. This book clearly explains the start up considerations all new businesses need to look into for setting up their online business, from thinking about their structure, name, logo, branding, finances through to eventually getting themselves online. It includes lots of useful tips and advice and is a fantastic guide for any entrepreneur.

Monica Or, Founder of Star Quality Hospitality Consultancy.

I wish I had met Robin before I started my business as he would have minimised my stress and hard work significantly. This guy knows business strategy and the fine detail of getting set up in business. This book is a bible for the modern day business owner and covers absolutely everything that you need to know. I would certainly encourage anyone thinking of starting a business to read this book first. It is laid out in a simple format and very easy to understand. To make what seems to be a complicated process actually very simple, I have found that Robins experience and guidance makes business life a whole lot easier. Thank you for this great book.

Paul Miller, Founder, Move Play Explore

What a great book! Perfect for someone like me whos looking to start or grow an online business. All too often you find books on this subject are full of the what, but give very little of the how. Not this one! Robin has been generous with his knowledge and expertise, offering great reminders of business basics, in addition to his step by step process for online success. If your dream is to have a fast, lean & profitable online business and youre looking for easy to read, practical guidance, buy this book.

Marianne Page, Author of Process to Profit

If you cant launch a successful online business after reading this book, then perhaps you should stick to your day job. The author doesnt beat around the bush and goes straight to the point; the book is concise and refreshingly easy to read.

Michael Serwa, Author of From Good To Amazing: No Bullshit Tips for The Life You Always Wanted

To my wife for her unending support, love and understanding. To my brother Matt, for his inspiration and energy. To Mum for her faith and encouragement. To my daughter Poppy for her smiles and happiness. And finally to Dad: you are remembered every day and always.

FOREWORD

As you are reading this, you may be wondering why you should read this book. I wish I had read this book seven years ago. I am going to tell you exactly how this book would have saved me thousands of pounds and sleepless nights if only I had read it when I was setting up my business.

To start with, I made a massive mistake when naming my company and I am still paying the price for this. Online Business Startup shows you what you must and mustnt do.

Secondly, I didnt have a capable web designer who cared what my business was about, he just wanted to build a website. I paid the price and found it hard to get clients to start with. This book explains clearly what you need to do, and will help you not make the mistakes I made.

Now lets talk about plans: have you got one? I had no plan when I started my business as I had no idea how to put one together. This book shows you how.

I then went on to spend many years learning how to market my business, and so much of what I searched for is included in this book, and it is clear and easy to understand.

And now the most difficult part of being online your website. Who knew there was so much to know about who to choose to get to design and build your website, and what to pay, what to have on each page, etc. This book is the most comprehensive guide I have ever read about websites. This book answers every question you have when you are trying to get online, even the simple and scary one of what happens if my website designer gets run over by a bus? If you want to know the answer to that, then pick up this book and read it!

And the cherry on the cake: it has a clear breakdown and simple explanation of how to market your business and website once you have launched it.

I will be recommending this book to every one of my clients, and I highly recommend it to you. Its an easy read for the online novice, and will stop you from wasting thousands of pounds and having sleepless nights like I used to.

Thank you to Robin for bringing this information together in an easy to read and succinct format.

Amanda C. Watts, Founder CEO, Clients in Abundance

INTRODUCTION

I hope he doesnt mind me recalling this story, but hes my brother and its a fitting anecdote with which to kick things off. This book is dedicated to my brother Matt.

I am known amongst my family and circle of friends as the web geek who runs his own successful business. Therefore this makes me the one who knows everything about technology, IT, Emails, creating online businesses, you name it, I know it. This is a huge compliment because in reality I only specialise in online strategy. I have, however, managed to set up and run a successful web design and development agency for over a decade and for the most part have succeeded through an adventure of trial and error.

So, to my brother!

My wife and I had our family around for Sunday lunch, and during our coffee, post-roast, we got into a familiar topic of conversation about this great idea my brother had come up with for a website. I understood the concept; he has asked me not to divulge his idea but it was a great concept that had led me to take pictures of random gloves abandoned in the pavement as I walked past them. They looked lonely on that rainy day; all they needed was to find their partner again and Matt had this great idea about how to reunite them, but, knowing what I do about websites, I started to drill down a bit.

So, whats the revenue model for your business?

Well if you build me the website Im sure we can make money out of it!

I quizzed home further: Ok, well I would recommend maybe taking donations or perhaps an advertising revenue model, or merchandising, but you need visitors to your website first. How will you get lots of visitors?

His short answer reflected that of many potential customers with great ideas, Its a great idea; if you build it surely well get thousands of hits.

I have discussed all of the ins and outs of this idea with Matt; before embarking on any project with a new customer I always invite them in for a lengthy Strategy Session to get a better understanding of their business. I wanted to challenge him a little; after all, I wasnt going to do all of the donkey work!

Ok, could you create a business plan for me? How are you going to market the website once Ive built it?

Ive got the idea you build the website. Its what you do. Ill give you 50%.